Disclaimer: I am an avowed crazy cat lady who has fostered (and adopted) cats with a wide variety of needs. This is just to say that this book had me at hello. I admire anyone who takes care of pets with special needs and this story of how Brown and Bono touched and improved each others' lives was moving and brilliant!

Bono
The Amazing Story of a Rescue Cat Who Inspired a Community
Helen Brown
HarperCollins/ABC
ISBN 978-0–7333-3804-5
Trade Paperback
ISBN 978-1-4607-0797-5
Ebook

Look at that cover—is that not just about the cutest cat you ever saw? Of course, that’s what I say about pretty much any cat I see, especially rescues, but there’s something about Bono that really catches the eye, right?

Helen Brown has written about cats before or, rather, cats and her own life, telling tales about how these little beasties have influenced her and made her life so much more complete. This time, Helen was talked into fostering a cat for just one month while visiting New York City but Bono turned out to be not at all like the sweet, docile sweetie she envisioned; instead, Bono was an opinionated, demanding guy with special needs, badly in need of a forever home.

Needless to say, Bono and Helen develop a fierce fondness for each other and their story is one of love and the search for Bono’s forever home. I cried and I smiled and fell in love with this beautiful Persian as I’m sure you will.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, November 2018.

I loved this book. The story of how the author acquires Bono - and initially falling for this cat - is just beautiful. It was fun to read their journey together and is a wonderful read for any animal lover. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance readers copy of this book.

Bono came into Helen Brown's life while she was on a sabbatical in NYC from her native Australia. A special needs kitty abandoned after hurricane Sandy, Bono, was not immediately happy a out being fostered. But gradually, both Bono and the author came together and offered each other much needed support. Sweet story although I fo in nd the author a little self centered or off putting at times. Still if you enjoy a good animal story, you will enjoy reading this book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Kensington Books amd Netgalley for this ARC.

Bono was an enjoyable memoir about a life lacking and the need to get away. Bono, a special needs cat, was adopted by the author and was a significant part of her life throughout the memoir.

This was far too slow for me and I was really bored with the thoughts of the author.
In fact too much about the author and not enough about the cat.
Not for me.

I enjoyed this book, although it was less focused on Bono himself than I thought it would be. It was billed as a cat story but seemed to actually be a memoir by a woman who happened to have a cat. It is well-written and a quick read - I recommend if you're looking for a good memoir!

Bono is ostensibly about the eponymous rescue cat that the author fostered during a working holiday in New York city. The title is somewhat misleading. This book is not about Bono, the rescue cat. He is certainly present, but by no means is he the central character.

If I were to describe this book, I would say it’s a travel memoir, prompted by a post-breast cancer midlife crisis, and Bono was merely thrust upon Helen Brown. The book, Bono, is less about the cat, and more about the situation which led the author to be saddled with him.

I have struggled with this review because I quite enjoyed the book. I just felt it wasn’t delivering what it promised in the title and tag line – Bono: The Amazing Story of a Rescue Cat who Inspired a Community.

There was barely any meaningful interaction with Bono until the second half of the book. Up to that point the author keeps talking about how she has no relationship with him, and plans to return him to the shelter as soon as her daughter leaves.

As the carer of two chronically ill cats, I couldn’t believe that she went gallivanting around New York for hours on end with nary a thought for the poor creature trapped in her tiny rented apartment. Everybody’s complete disregard for his actual welfare pissed me off. He was only there as a talking point.

Also, I’m still unsure what supposed community Bono was an inspiration to. The global community that sent meaningless messages fawning over how cute Bono was, but ultimately did absolutely nothing to help him or any other cat?

If I ignore the parts about Bono, I actually thought the book was reasonably likeable. The humour throughout was a bit sarcastic and self-deprecating, which I like. The author was completely candid about her life, and her relationships, which made her easy to relate to. She had some really insightful things to say about loneliness, the internet, and the lack of communication between people. I, for the most part, enjoyed the travel memoir style where she talks about New York, its history, architecture, vibe etc.

What let me down was the expectation that the story was about Bono. If I went in knowing it was really about the author’s trip to New York, where she happened to end up being cajoled into fostering a sick cat, my rating would be significantly higher

I am a sucker for cat stories and this one did not disappoint. Much like the books about Dewey the Library cat and Bob the cat from England, the books is as much about their owners as the cats. I loved the cat parts, but skimmed much that had little to do with them, I do go back and read the rest after a week or so. Sometimes I think the animals are an excuse for writing the book, but then I think about how much the animals actually change the lives of their owners, or help them become better people. The books keep getting written and I'll keep reading them! Cat, and animal lovers in general, will enjoy this book. Kudos for sheltering a rescue and helping to find it it's forever home, Helen!

Helen Brown is a wife, mother, journalist, blogger, author, and cat lover. Over the years Helen has written several books about her adopted felines - Cleo and Jonah - who helped her family heal after the tragic death of a child and Helen's bout with breast cancer. This book is about yet another kitty, Bono, whose resilience and joie de vivre helped Helen navigate her 'two-thirds life crisis.'

In 2015 Helen was restless and bored in her Australian home, feeling like her relationship with her husband Philip was going stale. Helen writes "We’d been married 22 years, the kids had all left home and....I felt this terrible need to go away and find out who I really was."

Helen opted to go to New York, thinking, "What better place to be alone than in a city full of millions and millions of people?" In addition, New York was the home of Helen's editor, Michaela Hamilton. Michaela - a fellow cat enthusiast - was thrilled about Helen's visit and suggested the author foster a 'cat-in-need' during her visit. Helen (very reluctantly) agreed.

The author acquired a one-month Airbnb rental for a tiny studio apartment near the United Nations, and headed for the Big Apple with her daughter Lydia - who agreed to go along for a couple of weeks. The two women spent a few days sight-seeing; partying with Michaela; shopping at high-end department stores; and purchasing cat supplies before they met their foster cat, Bono, at Manhattan's Bideawee Shelter. Because Bono's fur had been severely matted he was shaved, and looked like a tiny black lion....complete with a mane and a pom-pom on the end of his tail.

Bono's solicitous caregiver at Bideawee, Jon Delillo, explained that the cat - who had been orphaned by Hurricane Sandy - had kidney disease and required extensive care and costly medication. Thus the little guy had almost no chance of finding a forever home. After Jon chatted with Helen and Lydia about Bono's 'vacation', he showed them how to administer the cat's pills, placed him in a carrier, and - grinning broadly- stated, "This is the best thing that's ever happened to Bono."😁

Helen didn't agree. Soon after Bono entered the studio apartment he climbed up the dirty chimney, got stuck, and knocked down years of accumulated grime. Afterwards, Bono hid under the bed, refused to take his medicine, ate sporadically, and wouldn't poop. In spite of it all, Lydia fell in love with Bono, while Helen (not so secretly) couldn't wait to take the cat back to Bideawee.

Lydia wouldn't have it though, and - before returning to Australia - made her mother promise to keep Bono for her entire stay in New York. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Helen's feelings for Bono changed when he showed himself to be a wonderful companion who was happy just to be alive. After Bono adjusted to his new circumstances, he greeted every day with happy exuberance and - like many pets - knew when Helen needed comfort - like after the horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon. Bono liked to play with a sock; arch his back leg in a graceful arabesque; have his forehead and neck stroked; sleep on Helen's pillow; wake Helen by patting her eyes; purr contentedly; and so on.

As Bono recovered his zest for life, so did Helen - partly from Bono's companionship, and partly from the fun she was having in New York: hobnobbing with interesting people; eating breakfast in the neighborhood diner; observing street vendors selling knock-offs; dining in fine restaurants; visiting fabulous museums; going dancing; shopping in elegant stores; strolling through diverse neighborhoods; befriending fellow cat lovers; and so on. I love New York too, so I completely understand this.

Helen's husband Philip was an absolute prince through all this. He completely supported Helen's 'sabbatical'; skyped with her regularly; always said 'I love you'; and took good care of their cat Jonah while Helen was away.

Bono's situation was still precarious, however, and - at Michaela's suggestion - Helen started a blog about the feline, to try to find him a permanent home. The blog attracted thousands of responses from people all over the world, with personal anecdotes about their cats.....and words of praise for Helen and Bono.

Did Bono find a forever family? Yes! But you'll have to read the book to find out how.

In the end, Bono helped Helen overcome her restlessness; grow closer to her daughter Lydia; gain a new appreciation for her husband; enhance her enjoyment of her children and grandchildren; agree to Phillip's dream of buying a holiday cottage and a boat; and more. Quite a cat! And very beautiful when Helen visited him on a subsequent visit to New York, after his hair had grown back.

I enjoyed the book, but was sometimes put off by (what seemed like) Helen's self-centered behavior. More than once Helen spoke about staying in New York permanently, while the rest of her family remained in either Australia or New Zealand. Then I thought, maybe Helen's 'two-thirds life crisis' was connected to the tragedies in her life, including the life-endangering breast cancer. Anyway, who am I to judge? Given the option of fleeing to Hawaii (or Australia), maybe I'd do it. 😎 👙 💙 So, what Helen does is her own business (IMO).

All in all this is a good book about an endearing cat and the people who love him. Recommended to cat lovers everywhere.

I understand that part of the earnings from this book go to Bideawee Animal Shelter and Hospital.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Helen Brown), and the publisher (Citadel) for a copy of the book.

The front cover is the first thing that made me want to read this book. A fluffy, obviously cattitude-filled, black cat is featured behind the title. Bono. A cat named Bono? Extremely awesome. Then I read that the book is based on a true experience the author had with a foster cat in New York City. Ok. Sucked in. Immediate must read.

I'm a sucker for foster cats. I've been a foster for orphaned kittens in North Carolina for several years now. Babies that nobody wants...abandoned....orphans....dropped at the animal shelter...sometimes just thrown out with the garbage or on the side of the road. They come to my house. I bottle feed them, keep them warm, clean them, and pet them for hours, telling them what good cats they are going to be and how a family somewhere needs them. Sometimes, unfortunately, I pet them and love them as they take their last breaths and bury them with much respect and sadness. Those who survive and thrive are adopted to great furever homes, often in other states. Goodbye sweet babies -- go make a family very, very happy. Live a good and beautiful life.

I had to read this book about Bono. :)

The basics: The author was having a bit of a midlife crisis and decided it was a good time to travel to New York City from Australia to promote her latest book. Her publisher told her that it would be perfect if she would foster a homeless cat from a local shelter while in NYC. She agreed, figuring she either wouldn't be able to find an apartment that would allow a cat or she would get a fat, middle aged cat that just wanted to sleep all day. Wrong. AirBnb had a studio that would allow a cat....and she was matched with Bono. Bono suffered from kidney failure and was basically unadoptable. His medical needs were expensive and nobody wanted to adopt him. The author basically was giving Bono a vacation from the shelter for awhile. Little did either realize that the cat needed Helen Brown. And Helen Brown needed the little cat. Their relationship started out shaky with much hissing, hiding under beds, and cat temper fits....but with a little bit of patience from both, the outcome is quite heartwarming.

I loved this story. I'm definitely going to be reading more by this author. The story of how she bonded with Bono is heart-warming and real. Cats can be great therapy at low spots in our lives. She rescued Bono, and in return he rescued her. Beautiful! :)

There is always time for kindness. I find that I receive much more from the tiny little kittens I foster than I give to them. There is just something joyful in saving a tiny life and sending it out into the world to bring happiness to someone I will never even meet. I get messages, emails and photos from those who adopt the babies I raise. It's totally worth the feedings every two hours, the frantic trips to the vet in an emergency and all the time, effort and mess.

As I warm the formula to go and feed the latest little one (her name is Annie after Little Orphan Annie...the only one in her litter to survive after her mother was run over and killed), I'm thinking kind thoughts about Helen Brown and Bono. It's amazing how much animals bring to our lives in exchange for just a little love and affection.

Lovely book! I highly recommend it!

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Adopt -- don't shop! Donate to your local humane society.**

The author was at a stage in her life where she felt it lacked a little excitement. She leaves her loving husband and Jonah their demanding cat to fly to the US for work relating to her writing. Bono is a special needs cat with a big personality who needs a temporary foster home. Helen agrees to look after him on the basis it will only be for the weekend.

Helen Brown has written several New York Times best sellers including ‘Cleo’ the cat who helped her family heal after the death of their nine y o son. I could not help but be touched by the love she has for cats as well as the relationship they had with each other. It is certainly true that life without love isnt worth living even if it means having to say good-bye.

You may have worked out I am a sucker for a cat and/or dog story. I have no qualms about stating this book is a gem and one all animal lovers will fall in love with. Be prepared to shed at least one tear of happiness before the end. I particularly enjoyed the humorous and straightforward writing style

One part of the book puzzled me. Does someone really go to the US and not tell their husband it could be for longer? I had trouble accepting this but had absolutely no problem understanding how powerful and wonderful the companionship provided by cats and of course dogs is. I also know how a piece of your heart dies when their time is up. It was good to discover Helen was able to regain/renew her relationship with her daughter through their love for Bono.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Even though it means my Momma is a cat slut every Caturday morning, I support rescue shelters and the good work they do. Some cats are easily placed. They are young and healthy and present no immediate challenges. It takes special humans to accept a cat who has “issues” and a poor kitty like Bono had more than his share. It looked like his short life was going to be in an institution instead of by his own hearth with a human to cater to his every need.
That was until the author, who in the midst of a late life crisis, moved to New York to find herself. She not only found herself but she found, reluctantly, Bono and they rescued each other, as is so often the case. Helen’s time in NYC was limited. Bono’s life expectancy was limited too. Yet in the time they shared, they both grew and blossomed so when Helen had to depart back to Australia, she left Bono in a pair of loving paws, the lady who would be his forever mom, however long that might be.
It is a lovely story about reclaiming life and passion and living each day to the hilt. It was a moving story both the human and feline one. I wish there had been more about Bono although no one could tell his early story, other than the fact that he lost his home and family in Hurricane Sandy. Perhaps the most meaningful part of the book was when the author and her daughter and then Bono sought to find common ground. With each step forward, more of the barriers we all put up to protect ourselves came down.
This is as much a love story to NYC as it is to Bono but both make the reader want to embrace them.
I give the book four purrs and two paws up.

I loved this story of Helen and her rescue of the cat that changed her life. This is told from the heart and as she traverses life on her own in new York, she heeds the call of a good friend to adopt a rescue cat. Enter Bono, a little fighter who survived a hurricane and illness, deemed a special needs cat. As Bono changes her life we see Helen open up and experience life in a new way. Its a charming story that appeals to every animal lover and especially those of us that spend our lives with cats. I adore this book.
Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.

Excerpt from Review: "...Bono is a terrific read, especially for those of us who know just how special cats can truly be. Helen Brown has a knack for the memoir – there are serious moments, but they are interspersed with wit and happiness and most especially love. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Helen Brown. Keep ‘em coming!"

I have mixed thoughts on this book. I love a good story about cats, as I am madly obsessed with the furry felines, but I still want the story to hook me. The content of the book and the pacing didn't grab me as much as I thought it would.

The first half of story consists of listening to the rambles of a woman in a mid-life crisis. This bored me half to death - I'm only twenty-six so I can't relate. The pacing felt incredibly slow and I times I would myself so bored I would have to put the book down. I'm not that cold-hearted, her story of fighting breast cancer did touch me

However, once we finally arrived at the point where we met Bono my opinions began to shift slightly. I started to see how this poor little cat was helping this older woman and feel at home in New York City.

I can understand, through personal experience, that cat companionship is able to heal wounds through their presence. It was truly something special to see this with Helen and Bono.

As much as I did enjoy (eventually) the book and was happy how Bono helped the author, I just couldn't connect to the story.

I am an animal lover and will seek out any books about them. This book about the author's month as a foster mom to a cat was sweet at times, humorous at others, and brutally honest for the whole book. I really enjoyed it and hope to read more from this author in the future.

Helen explores NYC to her heart’s content and eventually is accepted by Bono but despairs of anyone stepping forward and moving past wanting to adopt him to actually doing it. The whole “Bono helps Helen learn life lessons” part of the plot is, I’m sorry to say, not front and center. While this might actually be what happened, the book makes it seem like wandering around NYC is what gives Helen her insight instead of the cat teaching her anything. It’s sweet in that Bono does get his forever home – and what a home it is – but to me the book is much more about Helen and less about the cat. B-

What a lovely book! I cried and laugh often at the same time. It's a book that talks about a cat but also about healing and age crisis.
The descriptions of the cat antics were great and the whole book is full of humour with a retrotaste of melancholy.
Strongly recommended to cat lovers and to whoever is going through age crisis.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange of a honest review.

I liked this book by the time I got to the end but let me state right off that it is not so much about the title character, Bono the cat, but more about how Helen is affected by him. The author evokes the time and place in such a way that you are there with her. The book is lace with truisms and homilies about cats and people but it’s okay as that is the sort of book it is. This is more a book about a mid-life crisis and its resolution aided by a rescue cat than anything else. Thank you #netgalley for hooking me up with #bono